Tag: singapore

ALBA E-Waste in NUS and Singapore

Recycle your electronics right in your neighbourhood

Having read so many posts on responsible recycling practices, you might be thinking—okay, I’m on board! But where do I begin?

It’s simple. Ever seen one of these gigantic white boxes in your neighbourhood? You might not have noticed them previously, but they can be found all over Singapore.

Here’s a list of all the e-waste recycling collection points around Singapore (NEA, n.d.). You can also take a look at ALBA’s map on their website, which also includes a list of all their bin locations. Use these maps to locate your nearest collection point!

The e-waste collection point in NUS, located on the ground floor just outside the Central Library at FASS (Author’s own, 2022).

There’s also one located in NUS itself, if you prefer dropping off your electronics on your way to class. But remember to be careful with what you put into the bins, as not every bin is the same and certain bins only accept certain types of electronic products.

NEA’s rules regarding the type of e-waste accepted at the various types of collection points (NEA, n.d.).

The rules are pretty straightforward. 3-in-1 bins accept most products, such as all the different types of bigger ICT equipment like laptops and mobile phones. The 2-in-1 bins only accept batteries and bulbs or lamps. Batteries-only bins are, as the name suggests, strictly for batteries.

ALBA and the NEA have made it really easy and convenient to do your part in recycling your unwanted electronics. Next time you think about getting rid of that unwanted old laptop gathering dust in your room, why not give one of these e-waste collection points a try?

References

NEA. (n.d.). Where to Recycle E-Waste. Retrieved 10 April 2022, from https://www.nea.gov.sg/our-services/waste-management/3r-programmes-and-resources/e-waste-management/where-to-recycle-e-waste.

Taking a Local Look at E-Waste

E-waste in Singapore: What’s the current situation?

Having looked at the overall state of e-waste in the world in the past few posts, let’s take a closer dive into the current situation closer to home—right here in Singapore.

According to a study conducted by the NEA, around 60,000 tonnes of e-waste is generated each year (Bhunia, 2018). To put things into perspective, that’s equivalent to 11 kg per person, the same as if every person in Singapore discarded 70 mobile phones in a year! Shocking, isn’t it? You may not think that our tiny little red dot generates that much e-waste in a year, but the truth is that it does.

The current state of e-waste in Singapore (NEA, 2018).

If handled and dismantled correctly, electronic products can be recycled and reused. However, the NEA study discovered that only a meagre 6% of the e-waste produced was successfully recycled (around 3,660 tonnes). This means that we have a long way to go before we can be satisfied with the state of e-waste disposal in Singapore. The state of waste disposal here is also especially worrying considering that the only landfill in Singapore is projected to run out of space by 2035—we need to find a way to deal with our e-waste problem, and fast.

References

NEA. (2018). Stakeholders Sharing Responsibility Is Key To Building A Sustainable E-Waste Management System: NEA Study. Retrieved 3 February 2022, from https://www.nea.gov.sg/media/news/news/index/stakeholders-sharing-responsibility-is-key-to-building-a-sustainable-e-waste-management-system-nea-study.